Shade roller plunger trunnion



Jan. 18, 1938. w. J STUBER SHADE ROLLER PLUNGER TRUNNION Filed Oct. 27,1934 Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UET STATES SHADE ROLLER PLUNGER TRUNNIONApplication October 27, 1934, Serial No. 750,360

12 Claims.

This invention relates to winding rollers for shades or curtains at thewindows of buildings or closed vehicles, such as automobiles, busses,railway coaches, etc., wherein the trunnions and/or the hearings orbrackets which support the trunnions at the opposite ends of the shaderollers are inaccessible when the curtains are hanging in place at thewindows.

The object of the present invention is to provide a trunnionconstruction for at least one end of a shade roller whereby the normallyprojecting end of the trunnion may be retracted to a positionsubstantially flush with the end of the roller, to permit the freed endof the roller to be swung out of operating position for allowing thetrunnion at the opposite end of the roller to be readily withdrawn fromits support.

Another object of the invention is to mount the retractable trunnion inthe end of the roller in such a manner that retraction thereof may bereadily accomplished by a slender instrument inserted into an openingformed in the barrel of the roller adjacent the one end thereof.

The construction and operation of the device will be readily understoodupon referring to the accompanying drawing, of which:

1 illustrates, in longitudinal sectional elevation, one end of a shaderoller in which the spring-pressed trunnion is mounted;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 2--.., Fig.1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled roller end-bung andtrunnion prior to insertion of the assemblage into the end of thecurtain roller;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 44, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 illustrates the trunnion in its retracted position.

The curtain roller l, in the present instance, is of the hollow, barreltype composed of sheet metal rolled into tubular form and seamed as at 2longitudinally thereof. Diametrically opposite and parallel to the seam2 is a grooved or otherwise recessed rib 3 for receiving the one end ofthe curtain.

The one end of the roller (not shown) is normally provided with theusual form of fixed trunnion or spindle to one end of which is securedone end of the roller-operating spring (not shown), the opposite end ofsaid spring being anchored in any suitable manner to the body or barrelof the roller. In said end of the roller is provided a transverselyextending plate which has rotary bearing on the fixed trunnion andcarries a pair of pawls arranged to engage a ratchet on the fixedtrunnion for holding the curtain roller in an adjusted position againstthe action of the winding spring.

The opposite end of the roller, i. e. the one which is illustrated inthe drawing, normally is provided wth a circular trunnion rigidlymounted in the end of the roller and arranged to rotate in theroller-supporting bracket or other support disposed adjacent said end ofthe roller, the fixed trunnion being mounted in a corresponding supporthaving a slotted opening for non-rotatably supporting the flattened endof the trunnion in the usual manner.

In ordinary cases these brackets which support the rollertrunnions areexposed so that the circular trunnion in the one'end of the roller maybe mounted in the one bracket having the circular bearing opening afterwhich the opposite end of the roller with the spring-anchoring trunnionmay be set in place, with the flat or rectangular end of thespring-anchoring trunnion placed in the slotted opening of the adjacentbracket. In the newer designs of automobiles the brackets are or will beconcealed or flush with those portions of the window frame adjacentwhich the opposite side edges of the curtains are disposed, in view ofwhich the normally rigid trunnion at the one end of the roller must bemade movable in orderto install or remove the shade at or from thewindow.

In mounting the curtain, the spring-anchorin trunnion is first slippedinto a rectangular opening formed in a bearing inset into the frame ofthe window to be screened by the curtain. The opposite end of thecurtain is then moved into posi tion to line up the second trunnion withits bearing opening in the opposite side of the window frame.

In order to accomplish the setting and removal of the round trunnion inand from its bearing opening in the one side of the frame, the plungertrunnion illustrated in the drawing has been provided. The trunnioncomprises a spring-pressed trunnion 5 which is axially aligned with theroller l and has an outer portion 6 which extends beyond the end 7 ofthe roller, and is suitably mounted in a bearing 4 which is inset andflush with the surface a, of the window frame A.

The trunnion 5 is slidably mounted at 3 and 9 in the end walls It and Ii respectively of the roller end-bung l2 and is provided with anintegral collar or pair of collars it which in turn is provided with orforms a circumferential groove It on the trunnion 5 adjacent the platel0.

Encircling the inner main portion it: of the trunnion 5, between theinner side of the collar I3 and the end Wall ll of the bung i2, is aspring I6 which normally maintains the outer end 6 of the trunnion 5 ina projected position.

In mounting the curtain roller in the window frame A, the outer end 8 ofthe trunnion 5 is slid along the surface a of the window frame and movesinwardly of the roller l until the trunnion ll is aligned with thecircular opening in the bearing l in which it is to be mounted,whereupon the spring l6 projects the end 6 of the trunnion 5.

into the bearing opening of the frame.

In order to remove the roller from the frame,

it is necessary to retract the trunnion 5 and for this purpose theroller barrel 5 and the bung l2 are provided with aligned openings iland I8 respectively, through which a releasing tool 253 may be inserted.The inner end IQ of the tool 28 entering the groove id of the collar illwill, as the tool is swung from position shown in Fig. 1 to the positionshown in Fig. 5, retract the end 5 of the trunnion 5 from the bearingopening in the window frame to a position substantially flush with theend i of the roller, whereupon this end of the roller may be swung outand free of the window frame.

The bung is assembled as a unit prior to its being placed in the end ofthe roller 5 and consists of a stamping from sheet metal into thecup-like form illustrated in 3, wherein the end wall iii and the sidewall 2!, which latter is of a generally cylindrical form, are integral.The end wall it is a separate plate, which after the trunnion 5 andspring 56 are placed within the cup 52, is inserted in the otherwiseopen end of the bung i2 and is brought to bear against a series ofcircumferentially spaced shoulders 22 pressed inwardly from the circularwall 2| of the bung, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5.

In order to hold the end wall I l in position the open end 23 of theside wall 2! of the bung I2 is crimped inwardly at diametrically opposedplates, as illustrated at 24, 24.

The side wall 2B of the bung i2 is concaved longitudinally atdiametrically opposite places providing grooves 25, 25 which fit aroundthe seam 2 and curtain-receiving recessed groove 3, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 2.

In forming the grooves 25, shoulders, 26, 26 are formed at the ends ofthe grooves adjacent the end wall it) of the bung, these shoulders 26hearing against the ends of the seam 2 and groove rib 3 to prevent thebung from moving too far into the roller l. V

In order to prevent the bung from slipping out of the end of the rollerthe side wall 2! of the bung i2 is apertured as at 2i and the side wallof the roller is perforated and pressed into the bung opening 27, asillustrated at 23 in Fig. 1, thereby securing the bung against any andall axial or rotary movement relative to the roller I.

I claim:

1. A shade roller having an axial opening and a transverse openingafiording communication between the axial opening and the exterior ofthe roller, a retractable trunnion mounted. in the axial opening withone end projecting beyond an adjacent end of the roller, and means onsaid trunnion and wholly confined within said axial opening andengageable by a tool insertable through said transverse opening the sidewalls of whichafiord a pivotal bearing for said tool for effectingretraction of the projecting end of the trunnion.

2. A shade roller having an axial opening and a transverse openingafiording communication between the axial opening and the exterior ofthe roller, a trunnion slidably mounted in the axial opening, and meanson the trunnion and wholly confined within said axial opening andengageable by a tool insertable through said transverse opening the sidewalls of which afiord a pivotal bearing for said tool for sliding thetrunnion axially of the roller.

3. A shade roller having an axial opening and transverse openingaifording communication between the axial opening and the exterior ofthe roller, a trunnion slidably mounted in the axial opening with oneend projecting beyond an adjacent end of the roller, means forresiliently maintaining the trunnion in said projecting relation to theroller, and means on said trunnion and wholly confined within said axialopening and engageable by a tool insertable through said transverseopening the side walls of which afford a pivotal bearing for said toolfor efiecting retraction of the projecting end of the trunnion.

4. A shade roller having an axial opening and a transverse openingaifording communication between the axial opening and the exterior ofthe roller, a trunnion slidably mounted in the axial opening with oneend projecting beyond an adjacent end of the roller, means forresiliently maintaining the trunnion in said projecting relation to theroller, and means wholly confined within said axial opening andaffording a transverse shoulder on said trunnion engageable by 'a toolinsertable through said transverse opening the side walls of whichafford a pivotal bearing for said tool for effecting retraction of theprojecting end of the trunnion.

5. A hollow ended shade roller, a pair of transversely extending platesin and spaced longitudinally of the hollow end of the roller, a trunnionoperatively supported in said plates with one end projecting beyond theend of the roller, said hollow end of the roller having a transverseopening afiording communication between the interior and the exterior ofthe roller, and means on the trunnion wholly confined within the hollowof the roller and engageable by a tool insertable through said openingthe side walls of which afford a pivotal bearing for said tool forretracting the prjected end of the trunnion.

6. A hollow ended shade roller, a preassembled bung unit mounted in thehollow end of the shade roller and comprising a cylindrical body and a,pair of transverse plates spaced longitudinally thereof, a trunnionoperatively supported in said plates with one end projecting beyond theend of the roller, said hollow end of the roller and said cylindricalbody of said bung unit having aligned transverse openings afiordingcommunication betweenthe interior of the bung and the exterior of theroller, and means on the trunnion intermediate said plates and whollyconfined within the bung unit and engageable by a tool insertablethrough said aligned transverse openings the side walls of which afforda pivotal bearing.

for said tool for effecting retraction of the trunnion.

7. A hollow open ended shade roller comprising a substantiallycylindrical wall having a rib extending longitudinally thereof, apreassembled' bung unit comprising a cup-shaped element consisting of asubstantially cylindrical body and an integral bottom plate at one endthereof, a second plate parallel to said bottom plate in spaced relationthereto, said bung unitbeing mounted in the;

hollow end of the roller with the axes of the two substantiallycoinciding, a trunnion operatively mounted in said plates with one endprojecting beyond the end of the roller, said hollow end of the rollerand the cylindrical body of the bung unit having aligned transverselyextending openings afiording communication between the interior of thebung unit and the exterior of the roller, and means on the trunnionengageable by a tool insertable through said aligned openings forretracting the trunnion, the cylindrical body of said bung cup having alongitudinal groove receiving said rib and a shoulder formed at the endof said groove adjacent said bottom plate and engaging the end of saidrib to position the bung unit in the open end of the roller.

8. A hollow ended shade roller having a transverse opening therein, apair of transverse plates spaced longitudinally of the roller, atrunnion slidably mounted in said plates with one end projected beyondthe end of the roller, a spring encircling the trunnion intermediate theplates for projecting the trunnion outwardly of the roller, and means inthe trunnion intermediate one end of the spring and the outermost ofsaid plates afiording an abutment for the spring, a stop for thetrunnion Wholly confined within the hollow of the roller and engageablewith said outermost plate and a shoulder wholly confined within thehollow of the roller and engageable by a retracting tool insertablethrough said transversely extending opening which is formed in theroller intermediate said plates the side walls of which afford a pivotalbearing for said tool.

9. A hollow ended shade roller, a pair of transverse plates spacedlongitudinally of the roller,

a trunnion slidably mounted in said plates with one end projected beyondthe end of the roller, a spring encircling the trunnion intermediate theplates for projecting the trunnion outwardly of the roller, and acircumferentially grooved collar on the trunnion intermediate one end ofthe spring and the outermost of said plates wholly confined within thehollow of the roller and affording an abutment for the spring, a stopfor the trunnion wholly confined within the hollow of the roller andengageable with said outermost plate and a shoulder wholly confinedwithin the hollow of the roller and engageable by a retracting toolinsertable through a transversely extending opening formed in the rollerintermediate said plates the side walls of which afford a pivotalbearing for said tool.

10. A bung unit comprising a cup-shaped element including asubstantially cylindrical body wall and a transverse bottom plateintegral therewith, a second plate parallel to and spaced from thebottom plate, shoulders formed in and from the body wall at oppositesides respectively of said second plate securing the plate in place, atrunnion slidably mounted in said plates, said body wall having atransverse side opening intermediate said plates, and means on thetrunnion engageable by a tool insertable through said side opening forsliding the trunnion axially of the bung unit.

11. A bung unit comprising a cup-shaped element including asubstantially cylindrical body Wall and a transverse bottom plateintegral therewith, a second plate parallel to and spaced from thebottom plate, shoulders formed in and from the body wall at oppositesides respectively of said second plate securing the platein place, atrunnion slidably mounted in said plates, a spring encircling thetrunnion intermediate said plates, said body wall having a transverseside opening intermediate said plates, and means on the trunnionintermediate the spring and one of said plates afiording an abutment forthe spring and engageable by a tool insertable through said side openingfor sliding the trunnion axially of the bung unit against the action ofthe spring.

12. A bung unit comprising a cup-shaped element including asubstantially cylindrical body wall and a transverse bottom plateintegral therewith, a second plate parallel to and spaced from thebottom plate, shoulders formed in and from the body wall at oppositesides respectively of said second plate securing the plate in place, atrunnion slidably mounted in said plate, a spring encircling thetrunnion intermediate said plates, said body wall having a transverseside opening intermediate said plates, a circumferentially groovedcollar on the trunnion intermediate the spring and one of said platesaffording an abutment for the spring, and a limit stop for the trunnionfor engaging the second of said plates and engageable by a toolinsertable through said side opening for. sliding the trunnion axiallyof the bung unit against the action of the spring.

WALTER J. STUBER.

